 "Honeymoons can wait, couples make a beeline for pre-wedding 'Photomoon'")
A pre-wedding photoshoot can indeed feel like a pre-wedding honeymoon! The so-called ‘Photomoon’ captures that moment when couples create memories before their wedding, enjoying dreamy locations, exploring their chemistry, and basking in each other’s love for their upcoming nuptials. Also called ‘Before-the-Vows' or ‘Save-the-Date' shoot, it is now increasingly an essential prelude to the actual wedding photography. And often, the videos and stills shot are on full display on the D-day.
Naturally, this has given rise to a whole genre of specialisation, with photographers whose forte is just pre-wedding photography. Take the case of this Gurugram-based couple: 28-year-old Anamika Sharma and 31-year-old Vivek Aggarwal who got married in February this year at a Delhi farmhouse. They hired a photographer through Instagram reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations for a pre-wedding photoshoot and selected three scenic locations within the city – Lodhi Gardens, Hauz Khas Village, and Humayun’s Tomb. The idea was to play some static shots and videos during the wedding ceremony and engagement day and to also add digital images to their ‘Save the day’ reminder cards.
“Ours being an arranged marriage, we really got to know each other better through this exercise,” said Anamika. “We spent 2-3 days getting ourselves shot as a couple and I feel couples should definitely go for pre-wedding shoots as this gives you a good insight into your partner, especially when you are put in random situations.” Her key advice: Avoid the crowds, pick a weekday, start early in the morning when the sunlight is bright.
Other couples, like Mumbai based couple Vaibhavi and Amit, opt for getting this done at some ‘destination’. The duo headed to Goa and booked a yacht for Rs 20,000 just for the photoshoot. Others go with their families and see this photoshoot as an 'icebreaker' as photographers encourage the families to play board games or indulge in interactive activities like antakshari to get candid and lively group pictures.
A meeting of minds, on both sides
One of the most important tasks is to find the right photographer. How would one know who that is? According to Amit Batra, Mumbai based wedding cinematographer, “You will know the right person when they are open to hearing you out. Not impose only their ideas. Some photographers just want to make their Instagram page cool and they will go to any lengths to make that happen. It has to be a two-way communication.”
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He recommends having an open, in-person conversation with the photographer to gauge the openness/friendliness in them. “When you are comfortable with the person shooting you, pictures and videos will come out more natural. Rather than going for the posey photos and videos, go for an easier and more natural feel,” he suggests.
The next step is to know your and your partner’s minds about what you want from the shoot. Batra suggests that the brief should ideally be to this: "Let’s all get together and do something creative and not get caught up in doing something over the top. Clean frames look the best and when you will look at them ten years from now, they should remind you of the happy times you guys had on the trip and not how you guys got so tired."
Make sure that before leaving for the trip, you and the photographer are in sync with the idea and plan. If this is done well, it will be all fun and play and the camera will produce lasting memories. But when does a photographer get the best results? “The more relaxed the couple will be and confident they feel, the better photos will turn out to be,” says Ansh, founder of Weddings by Ansh, a luxury wedding and pre-wedding photography firm. “Making couples comfortable is very important... We personally spend time with couples, ask them about their love story, their personalities and what they are looking for and build trust. The best expressions come when they are relaxed and not asked too much for posing."
Location, location, location!
Like in the restaurant or real estate industries, here, too, location plays a key role in the outcome. But like all good things, they can come with a hefty price tag.
"Some people want to go to the beach or mountains or countryside Kashmir,” says Ansh. "We have done a lot of shoots at popular locations such as Thailand, Goa, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah. But those beautiful and fairytale backdrops such as Goa (air ticket, accommodation) cost at least Rs 1 lakh per person while Dubai can cost you Rs 3 lakh. Make-up artists will charge you Rs 30,000 for 2-3 days of working and rented clothes and outfits approx. 20,000. When everything is aligned, the outcome is excellent.”
Some places, having realised the marketing and revenue potential, are particularly open to pre-wedding shoots. Take Sula Vineyards, for example, where a couple who were wine connoisseurs actually got their shoot done. “A photo shoot at Sula Vineyards is allowed between 7.00 am to 12.00 pm at the restaurants (Rasa), Tasting room area, amphitheatre (Sula Fest Area). For a 5-hour shoot, charges are Rs 15,000 plus taxes,” a spokesperson for the popular vineyard a couple of hours out of Mumbai said.
Ditto at Karma Lakeland in Manesar, ahead of Gurugram, which boasts of a range of natural backdrops - from a pond, a forest, a golf course, a garden to artworks in the background at Klub Karma, lobby and restaurant. Another favourite is the scenic Neemrana Fort property.
Show me the money!
The costs for a pre-wedding shoot can quickly spiral, if you are not careful. A lot depends on the photographer, experience, location, styling, make up, et al. A premium shoot in Delhi, for example, can range anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.
Ultimately, it boils down to planning and making your time count on the day of the shoot. Industry experts advise travel close to where you live to keep budgets under control. Traveling abroad to Dubai and Thailand is relatively cheap as it's easier now to get visas and tickets are not very expensive. Even off-beat destinations can be great, but it always boils down to your preference and, more importantly, your budget.